(Paul POV)
We waited in silence, our backs pressed against the cold wall, until the presence of the creature fully disappeared into the distance.
Even then, I didn't give the signal to move right away. My heart was pounding against my ribs, instincts screaming that something so massive, giving such an unnatural aura, shouldn't exist. But it did. And it was likely something Rudy created.
I let out a slow, shaky breath. No one spoke. Even Eris, usually restless, kept perfectly still, her hand tight around the hilt of her sword, motionless.
Another long minute passed before I finally spoke.
"It's gone."
Everyone eased — just a little.
Zenith exhaled shakily. Roxy adjusted her hat, her hands trembling ever so slightly. Elinalise rolled her shoulders, letting out a sharp breath.
"That thing…" Roxy whispered. "It wasn't a monster from our world."
Ruijerd nodded grimly. "No. It wasn't. It felt… like more than a dozen beings in one."
I caught the way his hand pressed against the symbol on his forehead.
So it wasn't just me. That should have been reassuring — but it wasn't.
Everything about that thing — the way it moved, the weight of its presence — was wrong.
Eris scowled, breaking the tension. "So what now? Are we just going to keep running every time one of those things shows up?"
"No," I said firmly. "We keep going. Carefully."
The city stretched before us, a maze of abandoned structures and glowing signs. Its unnatural beauty masked the horrors lurking inside. If this place had a boss — if Rudy was somewhere beyond this — we had no choice but to press forward.
"We'll move cautiously," I continued. "No more reckless wandering. Stay together. Stay sharp. Stick to cover. That thing might've been huge, but it's not the only danger here."
Zenith gave me a worried look. "You really think the boss is somewhere in this… city?"
I let out a breath. "It's the deepest floor we've reached. If there's anywhere left to go, it's here."
No one argued.
The oppressive silence of the city followed us as we slipped out of the alley and back onto the empty streets.
And so, our search continued.
This time, we knew we weren't the only ones in this forsaken city.
***
Time blurred. Without sunlight, without shifting shadows, it was impossible to know how long we'd been wandering. The city's unnatural lights never flickered, making everything feel frozen in place.
But exhaustion crept in. Our steps grew heavy, breaths ragged. Even Ruijerd, who rarely showed weariness, started scanning our surroundings more cautiously — as if sensing that fatigue would invite disaster.
We needed to stop.
"Let's find shelter," I muttered. "Somewhere safe. Somewhere that thing won't easily reach."
Nobody argued.
After a careful search, we found a large structure — broad, square columns at its entrance, glass walls revealing nothing but darkness inside. No movement. No sounds beyond the faint, lifeless hum of the city.
Inside, the air was thick and unmoving. The space stretched vast and open, rows of dustless, too-uniform furniture arranged like props on a forgotten stage. Wide staircases led upward, but none of us suggested going higher. The ground floor meant a faster escape if needed.
"This'll do," I said, scanning the area of the empty room. "We rest here. Keep someone on watch, no exceptions."
We settled in, backs to the walls, weapons within reach. Even in stillness, no one fully relaxed. The city's silence wouldn't let us.
After catching our breath, we gathered to plan.
"This place is a labyrinth," Roxy said, voice low, "but it doesn't follow the rules of one. No clear paths. No structured progression. We could be walking in circles."
Zenith nodded. "Then how do we find the boss?"
"Assuming there is one," Elinalise muttered, stretching out. "For all we know, this entire place might be elsewhere on the continent."
Ruijerd shook his head. "There's something deeper. That monster we saw — it was walking aimlessly, standing still whenever there was a turn at the street."
I exhaled. "So do we track it… or avoid it and search for a passage for the next floor?"
Silence. No one voiced their opinion. I mean, how could they? This is all just so confusing.
"What about you?" I asked Ghislaine. "Anything with your Magic Eye?"
She crossed her arms, tail flicking slightly. "I already tried."
I frowned. "And?"
She shook her head. "Mana's too thick. Like trying to see through dense fog. Beyond two meters, everything blurs."
That was bad. Ghislaine's Magic Eye could normally pierce through anything. If it was this obscured, whatever lay at this city's heart was radiating immense and unnatural amounts of mana.
"Could be a barrier," Roxy murmured. "Or something we don't understand."
"Which would be fitting for this entire Labyrinth," I added.
Eris huffed, restless. "So what — just keep walking until we hit something?"
I rubbed my temples. "We need a direction first. If we can't use Ghislaine's sight, we find another way."
Silence fell again.
One thing was certain — this city was like nothing we'd faced before. And that monster seemed like it wasn't looking for a fight at all.
I let out a breath, running a hand through my hair, trying to piece together our next move.
Then — suddenly —
'Hey, Scumbag Knight.'
The voice struck straight into my mind.
I bolted upright, hand on my sword, heart hammering as I scanned the room.
Nothing. No shifting shadows. No lurking figure. Just that same suffocating stillness.
"Paul?" Zenith's voice was worried. "What's wrong?"
I didn't answer immediately, my grip still tight around my sword.
The voice hadn't come from around me. It had cut straight into my head. Telepathy again.
'Calm yourself. It's not like your next threat is one of the upper-rank World Powers.'
Smooth. Calm. Unmistakably familiar. It can only be him.
"Kagami," I muttered aloud, still breathless.
The others stiffened.
'Good. You remember me.' His voice was steady. 'I assume you've realized by now you went the wrong way.'
I frowned. 'Wrong way? What do you mean?'
While I was conversing with him, the others were staring at me, confused.
'When you left the tower, you should have turned right. You went left. That… was a wrong turn.'
I scowled. 'We've been wasting our time?'
'Not entirely,' Kagami replied. 'But you did walk straight into the most dangerous part of the last floor.'
I stiffened. 'Wait... You mean…'
'The creature you encountered.' His tone darkened. 'That was the guardian of this Labyrinth.'
The others could tell something had shifted in my expression.
Zenith spoke first. "Paul… what is it?"
I let out a sharp breath. "We went the wrong way," I muttered. "And that thing we ran from? That was the guardian. This city is the last floor."
The moment I spoke, the air in the room thickened.
Eris straightened, eyes gleaming. "Then why the hell did we run? If that was the boss, we should've fought it!"
Roxy shot her a sharp look. "We should've fought it? You didn't even see it properly." Her face was still pale. "If it was strong enough to force us into hiding… we wouldn't have stood a chance."
Ruijerd nodded. "It didn't sense us immediately. That was fortune. Had we fought, the result would be… uncertain."
Elinalise leaned against a pillar. "So what now? If we already found it, does that mean Rudeus is nearby?"
I turned back to Kagami. 'If that thing was the boss, is Rudy close?'
A brief pause.
'As you've suspected, this place doesn't follow ordinary rules. But defeat the guardian… and you might free your son.'
I clenched my jaw. 'Would've been nice to know before we wasted hours wandering.'
'I can't keep track of your every step in here all the time.' There was a faint edge to his voice. 'Even I have trouble contacting your because of the high mana density you're all in. I'm frying my brain here.'
I exhaled, rubbing my temple. 'Fine. What now?'
'Now? Go to the other direction as I've told you. Then, prepare for the boss battle. That creature is intelligent and quite possibly able to learn. You were lucky once. Next time… it won't waver.'
A chill crept up my spine.
'It knew we were there?'
'It suspected. But had no reason to act. Next time, if it senses you…'
He didn't need to finish, so I turned to the others.
"We rest properly. Then, head back to the tower. Take the other path. The guardian only roams this part of the floor."
"But why leave now?" Eris asked. "If the guardian's here — isn't that where the heart is?"
"It's… a hunch," I admitted. "That the Labyrinth's core is in the opposite direction."
Silence.
Roxy spoke. "If Kagami's right, avoiding the guardian isn't cowardice. It's strategy."
Zenith frowned. "And if we're wrong?"
Ruijerd's voice was steady. "If it wanted us dead, it had its chance. Its arrogance is its weakness."
Eris grinned fiercely. "Fine. But when we fight — and we will — I won't hold back."
I nodded. "None of us will."
'How do we find the heart of the Labyrinth?' I asked Kagami.
'You'll feel it. Follow the pull.'
Not much to go on. But better than nothing.
"Alright," I told the others. "Rest, eat, check gear. When we move, it's toward the heart."
Quietly, everyone got to work — Eris sharpening her blade, Roxy sketching runes, Zenith at my side, Ghislaine watching the door.
I looked up at the glowing ceiling.
Rudy… we're coming. No matter what.
***
'Hey Paul, you got a minute?'
Kagami's voice returned as I was resting against the wall, my shift just being handed off. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to worry the others.
'This better be important.'
'It is. You were right with your assumption about your energy drain during the Wraith fight. The more people are connected to Rudeus, the less energy each person gets.'
'Then why not cut off Zenith's link or control it, so I get more during fights? So far, we haven't even needed high-tier Healing Magic.'
'You couldn't be more wrong. Especially since—' He trailed off, mumbling something I couldn't understand.
'Especially what?'
'Nothing. Anyway, I can't sever the connection. It's too intricate — like pulling a thorn-covered vine from your heart. It would destroy her body.'
'So… we're forever linked to him?'
'Haven't you always been? He is your precious son after all.'
'I'm not in the mood for silly jokes.'
He sighed. 'Look, even an Immortal Demon Lord once called this place a pointless hassle. You're lucky none of her soldiers came here. Those undead Black Dragons whom Rudeus previously killed? They'd be the least of your problems.'
'Wait — what soldiers? When did Rudy fight dragons?'
'Yeah, those were the only ones, though. The rest got mixed together and made the Dragon from Hell guardian. It was an obvious design choice with a terrible result. He could've done better, really.'
'Wait, is that why we haven't seen any more Black Dragons? And what about this "Dragon from Hell"? Kagami? Hello? …Jackass.'
Nothing. He'd left me hanging again — as usual.
At least now I have confirmation of what has been holding me back.
But maybe… maybe I could draw power from this place itself. Kagami said it was like an extension of Rudy's soul.
I don't know how I could do that, but I may need that power once more, even if it's just a little boost.
For now, though… I'd leave it.
It will soon get difficult enough fighting what Kagami calls "Dragon from Hell."
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